sykes



(No Model.) v4 sheets-sneer 1.

` i, `W.\R.sY-K Es i Electric Railway Signal.'

` Patented April v26, 188.1.

*No. A2-23403522.

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N'PETERS. FHO'ITO-LITHOGWPNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet` 2. W. R. SYKES.

Electric Railway Signal.

Patented April 26 wMa/m fe." 72,

NJEERS, PROTO-LITHOGRAFNER. WASHINGTON. D C4.

(No Model.; A 4'sneens-snaet a., Wf R. S-YK'ES.

I Y "Electric RailwaySignal. Y N0. 240,622. y P'tentedApril26., |881.

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UNITED STATES PAT-ENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BJ. SYKES, OF NUNHEAD, COUNTY 0F SRREY, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK OHEESWRIGHT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECHIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,622, dated April 26, 1881. Application le'd December 16, 1880. (NO model.) Patented in England February 23, 1875.

My invention relates to block-signals, so called, wherein the railway is divided into sections or blocks, and a signal is provided at the beginning of each section to indicate to the engineer of an approaching train whether or not he may proceed into the section ahead. In my system these signals are designed to be worked by signal-men, and it is the object of my invention to renderit impossible for a signal-man to signal a train to proceed untilhe has received an announcement from the next station or signaling-point beyond that the previous train has passed that station, and that the intermediate section of the line is My system is, in fact, a combined lock-and-block system, the movement of a signal-lever at any station to signal a train to proceed having the effect of locking that lever until the lock is released by a movement of the corresponding lever at the next station beyond after the train has passed that station.

In order to make clear the general principle of my system of signals, I'will briefly describe the operation of the same irrespective of the mechanism' by which said operation iseffected, referring for that purpose to Figure l ofthe accompanying drawings, which is a diagram 011 a small scale, representing a portion or" one track ot a double-track railway, including two sections thereof, with three signal-stations, (marked A, B, and O.) Each signal-station' is provided with some suitable signal, whose operation is understood by the engineer ot' an approaching train as expressing permission to advance to the next station. This signal may be a semaphore-arm, as shown at D,-or it may be any other known or practicable signal, and it is'operated by a lever, o, or other suitable means. As commonly employed, the

signal, when visible, denotes danger, and when the train is to pass the signal-man moves it out of sight by pulling the lever c. At each 4station (except those at the termini of the line) there are two visual indicators or signals, which, for convenience, I have placed one above the other. The upper indicator denotes whether the section of track in advance is clear or obstructed, and .the lower one whether a train is approachingfrom the preceding station or not. Normally, or when there is no train on the line, the upper indicator shows white, with Clear to B, Clear to C, or as the casemay be, naming the next station b eyond, and the lower indicator shows red (red being indicated Iby a tint ot' lines in the drawings) and the si gnal-lever is locked. When a train starts from A the signal-man there pulls his lever (which is not locked) and then returns it to its normal position. This act locks his own signal-lever and changes his upper indicator to red, and it also simultaneously changes the lower indicator at B to white, with the words Train from A, unlocks the signal-lever there, and rings a gong to attract the attention of the signal-man. The train is now between .A and B, and the indicators are as shown in Fig. l. When the train reaches B the signal-man there pulls his lever, thereby signaling the trai-n to enter the next section, that section being clear, and this movement ot' the lever changes both indicators at B to red. It also changes the lower indicator at O to white,with the words Train from B,

rings the gong, and withdraws one lock `from the signal-lever there. The signal-man'atB then returns his lever, and `this act doublelocks it, and also causes the upper indicator at A to change back to Clear to B, and unlocks the upper lock of the signal-lever there; and these operations are repeated at each station as the train advances. If, however, with the train in the position shown in Fig. l, there should be another train on the track between B and C, then the lower indicator at O would `read Train from B, the upper indicator at B would show red, and the signal-lever at B would be locked, rendering it impossible for the signal-man at B to signal an approaching train from A to pass, even should he attempt to do so. When the advanced train reaches IOO C, and is there signaled to pass on to D, the upper indicator at B changes to Clear to C, and the signallever is unlocked, enabling the signal-man to signal the train at B to advance.

1 will now proceed to describe the mechanism which I have provided for operating the signals, and as that at all the intermediate stations is essentially the same, I will describe only that with which station B is provided, the same being shown in all the remaining figures of the drawings, whereof- Fig. 2 is a front elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 3, and partly in the section on the line :r m therein. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow b in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the lower portion of the apparatus, looking in the direction of the arrow c in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a front elevation, ou a larger scale, illustrating a modification. Fig. 6 is a side elevation' thereof on a reduced scale. Fig. 7 shows a further modification. Figs. 8 and 9 are front and side elevations of another modification, and Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating the electrical connections of the mechanisms shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the correspending mechanisms in the next stations before and beyond.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and l0, t is the signal-lever, E is the lower indicator, and F is the upper indicator. These are both, by preference, inclosed in a case, (not'shown in these figures, and merely indicated in Fig. l without regard to proportion.) and are in full view of the signal-man. The signal E comprises a board, d, the portion of whose surface that is visible through the opening in the case being painted white, and having the words Train from A, or other words or devices of like import, a movable screen or disk, f, painted red, and capable of being brought between the board d and the opening in the case, and of being dropped beneath the opening and out of sight, a lever-arm, o, on which said screen is mounted, an electro-magnet, h, which is arranged in a circuit, h', extending to station A in the rear, its armature 7c, and au arm, 1, which is connected to and moves with the screen, and which, when the latter is raised, is engaged bythe armature 7c, which thus acts as a detent to uphold the screen. The indicator 'F is of similar construction, and comprehends a board, e, painted red, opposite the opening in the case, a screen, g, painted white, and bearing the words Clear to C,77 or other words or signs of like import, arms o and 1, magnet t', arranged in a circuit, t', leading to station G in advance, and the armature l thereof. 1t differs from indicator E in that the opening in the case is opposite the lower position of the screen, whereas in indicator E that opening is opposite the upper position of the screen. rlhis arrangement, however, is notessential, as in either indicator the markings upon the screen and board may be transposed, provided the position of the opening is correspondingly shifted, so that each indicator shall show red when the screen is up and white when it is down.

A gong, H, Fig. 2, is arranged to be sounded by the dropping of the screen fof lthe indicator E.

The lever-arm o is continued past its fulcrum, forming another arm, p, to which is jointed a vertical rod, q, which rod extends downwardly, has a long slot, r, near its lower end, and bears at or near its lower end a lifting shoulder or toe, w. An elbow-lever, s, has yin one arm a transverse pin, which works in the slot r, and its other arm is jointed to one end of a horizontal bar, u, whose other end is jointed to the signal-lever c. A transverse pin, t, or other suitable shoulder, is arranged at or near the joint between the bar u and lever s, and when the lever o is home, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, this pin is in position. to be engaged by a locking-shoulder formed on a catch-bar, w, which is fulcrumed at y and extends nearly parallel with the bar u. The lifter w stands underneath the catch-bar zr, and when the screen fis down, and the rod q consequently up, the bar is lifted thereby out of engagement with the pin t, so that it cannot lock the lever c; but when the screen f is up, and the rod q consequently down, the bar is down and in engagement with the pin t. The parts p, q, r, w, and rv, just described, are duplicated, respectively, in the parts p', q', r', w', and fr', which latter parts are in connection with the indicator F. The levert is thus provided with two locks, both of which must be withdrawn before it can be operated. A stop, z, is provided to limit the drop of the bars x w.

Fig. 10 shows the circuit arrangements most fully. To avoid confusion only such parts of stations A and G are shown as are in electrical connection with station B. Referring to this figure, the magnet h at station B is arranged in the circuit h', which extends back to station A, and is there normally broken at springs h2. When the lever v at station A is pulled over, as shown, these springs are brought together, a current from the battery Gr traverses the circuit, causing the magnet h at station B to attract its armature, which releases and drops the screen f and displays Train from A at indicator E, simultaneously striking the gong H. The dropping of the screen f withdraws lock x out of engagement with lever o at B, as already described. The magnet h connects on one side with earth and on the other side, by a wire, with a spring, a, which, when the lever o is home, is kept pressed against a contactpoint, 4, on a plate, 5, which bears a pin, 6, on which is hung an arm, 7, whose back edge, 8, is insulated. The spring n is insulated by a block, n', from the part which presses against it. The point 4 and arm 7 are both in connecticn with the line-wire extending to A.

On the bar uis a pin, 9, which connects with earth. Each station is provided with these IIO IZO

to one side, and permitting it then to drop or spring back to the center.

2 withdrawn, that lever is free, and when the Y This will, of course, be regulated according to the circuit to C at the springs h2, as already both locks x a2 drop in and engage it. In

connections. We will suppose the lever c at station C to be pulled over into the position shown there in dotted lines in Fig. 10. This permits the spring n to leave the contact-point 4, thus breaking the circuit to the magnet h at C. The pin 9 comes in contact with the insulated side 8 of the arm 7 moving that arm On the return movement of the lever the pin 9 contacts with the conducting side ofthe arm 7 and connects that arm with earth, thereby closing for an instant the circuit 'i' to the magnet t at B, exciting that magnet and dropping the screen g, thereby withdrawing the lock from engagement with the lever c. Both locks being now train from A approaches it will be pulled over by the signal-man to signal the train to proceed to C, and when the train has passed he will return the lever home. The pulling over of the levers sets ,both indicators E andF to show red by raising their screens fg, which is done by the movement of the lever s, whose pin in the slots r r draws down the rods g q until the arms l 1 are engaged by the armatures 7c Z. Should magnetic adhesion prevent the dropping of either armature so as to engage the arm 1, it will be pressed down by a spring elbow-lever, 2, whose pendent arm is pressed back by the arm 1, causi ngits horizontal arm to move downwardly against the armature. The pulling over of the lever also closes described. The home movement of the lever then closes the circuit to A at 7 9, as already described, and when the lever is fully home Fig. 10, c c are the portions of the circuit-routes traversed by both the circuits It` and i. Each of the magnets h i connects on one side with the line and on the other side with earth through the medium ot' its armature and the arm l, so that when its screen falls its earthconnection is broken. v

I may here remark that in case both a starting and a distant lever are used at each station the lock of A need not be withdrawn by the back motion of the starting-lever at B, as I have described; but this may be effected by the forward motion of the distantlever of B, when the signal-man at B prepares the road to receive a train, as will be well understood.

the nature of the traffic.

Figs. 5 and 6 represent a modiied arrangement, in which the slot r on the lower end of the vertical rod q receives a pin, 1l, attached to a slide, 12. This slide has an opening, which, when the slide is raised, gives passage to a lock, .'11, on the bar u, jointed to the signal-lever c. (See Fig. 6.) When the slide 12 is down, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the lever i: cannot be pulled over, because the lock a: cannot pass the slide but when the latter is raised by the descent ofthe screen f the lever c can be pulled over, and in so doing the incline 13, by bearing upon the pulley 14 on the lower end of the slide, draws vdown the slide, and thereby lifts the screen f until itis again held by the armature 7c. The electric arrangements are the same as already described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. Y

Fig. 7 shows the arrangement represented in Figs. 5 and 6 adapted for a single-line railway, the bar u having in this case back and front locks, a: x', and two inclines, 13, so as to act both ways.

My system can be applied to single-line railways by employing a treadle or other analogous arrangement so situated as to take the place of station C, the train, in passing over such treadle, making the necessary electric contact in the manner well known.

Figs. 8 and 9 represent anothermoditication, in which there is a double lock. The slot ron the rod q receives the pin l1 on the slide 12, which slide, when down, enters a recess or gap, 20, in a cam, 21. The slide `12 also carries a lock, 22, which, when down, lies behind a projection on the bar u, which leads to the signalmans lever. The cam 21 is connected t0 the bar u by a slotted bar, 23. The figures show the parts unlocked, so that the lever may be pulled over. In this movement the bars u and 23 will give a partial rotationl to the cam 21, and thereby force down the pulley 14., carried by an extension, q', of the rod q, so that the screen before described will be raised=and held by the corresponding armature. 24 24 are guides.

The number of indicators at every station or signaling-point will be regulated by the traffic, as will be well understood.

Inasniiich as my invention is susceptible of Anumerous formal modifications, I do not wish to be understood as confining mysehil to the precise forms of apparatus shown.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a block-signal for railways, the combination of an electric indicator at one station, denoting whether Athe section of road beyond is clear or blocked, a signaling apparatus at 'the next station beyond, whose operation signities to the engineer-of an approaching train Y that he may pass on to the next station, and an electric indicator at the latter or third sta-, tion, denoting whether a train is approaching that station or not, with two electric circuits, one extending from each of said indicators to the intermediate station, and with circuit closing and breaking devices at said station in said circuits and in operative connection with said signaling apparatus, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth, whereby the operation of said signaling apparatus causes the indicator at the first station to denote that the line is clear to the second station and the indicator at the third station to denote thata train is approaching from the second station.

2. In a railway block-signal, a signaling ap- IIO IZO.

4 A22-ML622 paratus whose operation signifies to the engineer of an approaching train that he may pass circuit at the next station in the rear, substantially as set forth.-

3. In a block-signaling system for railways, a signal-station provided with an indicator for denoting whether the section ahead is clear or blocked, with another indicator for denoting whether the section in the iear is occupied by an approaching train or not, and with a trainsignal which signilies to an approaching train whether it may pass into the next section or not, in combination with suitable connecting mechanism between said indicator and the apparatus for operating said signal, whereby the act of signaling a train to proceed sets both indicators in position to denote that no train is approaching on the section in the rear, and that the section ahead is blocked, and with electro-magnetic means for shifting one indicator by the manipulation at the next station in the rear of a circuit extending from said station to said indicator, and with electro-magnet-ic means for shifting the other indicator by the manipulation at the next station ahead of a circuit extending from said latter station to said indicator, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, at a railway signal-station, of a train-signal, an apparatus for operating said signal to notify an approaching train to pass, a lock in connection with said inechanism,adapted to automatically engage the same upon the completion of its operation,

- and when engaged to prevent its further operation, with electro-magnetic means for withdrawing it, and with an electric circuit extending thence to a distant station, and there provided with circuit closingor breaking devices, whereby' the said lock can be withdrawn from said distant station, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, at a rail Yay signal-station, of a'train-sign al, an apparatus for operating said signal to notify an approaching train to pass, a lock adapted to automatically engage said apparatus upon itsreturn toits normal position after so operatin g said signal, au indicator adapted to be raised bythe operation of said apparatus, mechanism tending to drop said indicator and withdraw said lock, and an electromagnetic detent for restraining said mechanism, whereby the withdrawal of said detent causes the shifting of said indicator and the withdrawal ot' said lock, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the actuating-lever of a train-signaling apparatus, a stop-shoulder in connection therewith, two independent locking devices for engaging said shoulder, and eachwhen engaged therewith, adapted to prevent the operation of thelever, two independent withdrawing mechanisms, each adapted to and tending to withdraw one of said locks, two independent electromagnetic detents, each adapted to restrain one of said mechanisms, and two independent electric circuits, each in connection with one of said detents, whereby the manipulation of both of said circuits is necessary to release said lever, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the actuating-lever of a train signaling apparatus, a lock therefor which tends to autoniatically engage therewith, a withdrawing mechanism which is ada-pted to and tends to withdraw said lock from engagement with said lever, an electro-magnetic detent adapted to restrain said mechanism, andmeans interposed between said mechanism and said lever, whereby the operation of the latter brings said mechanism within the restraint of said deten t, and consequently renders said lock free to engage the lever, whereby the lever is automatically locked and electrically unlocked, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the lever e, bar u, pin 9, and arm 7 ,having insulated side S, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of the lever c, baru, pin 9, arm 7, contact-point 4, spring a, and magnet h at one signal-station with magnete at another signal-station, substantially as setforth. c

l0. The combination of lever c, bar u, rod q, con nectin g mechanism interposed between said bar and rod, whereby the pulling of the bar draws down the rod, leverp o, arm 1, and an indicator-screen borne by said lever, and an electro-magneticdetent adapted to engage arm 1 and uphold said screen, substantially as set y forth.

l1. The combination of lever mbar u, shoulder t, lock x, rod q, lifter w, slot 1", lever s, 1ever p, arm 1, and an electro-magnetic detent adapted to engage said arm, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ROBERT SYKES.

Witnesses:

Trios. E. DAY, SIDNEY PnARs.

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